Bracelet or endless chain.



R. KING. BRACELET 0B BNDLESS GHAIN. APPLIOATION rILBD 11110.28, 1914.

1,1 32,099. Patented Mar. 1,6, 1915.

n wil/A S.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

RUFUS KING, OF PLAINVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BUGBEE & NILESC0., OF PROVIDENCE, `RHODE ISLAND, A. CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND,

BRACELET OR ENDLESS CHAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Application led December 28, 1914. Serial No. 879,295.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I,;RUrUs KING, a citizen of the United States, residingat Plainville, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Bracelets or Endless Chains, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inbracelets or endless chains, and the primary object thereof is toprovide an article of the general type indicated which can be easily andquickly adjusted in length by the retail jeweler, that is to say, thechain or bracelet can he increased or decreased in length at will so asto provide a perfect fit for the purchaser.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chain or the like inwhich the links are so constructed as to present the usual appearancepresented by link bracelets, or the like, or in other words to constructthe links so that the detachability of same is concealed or not visible.

Further, the invention aims to provide links which are of improvedconstruction, possessing the advantages of economy in construction, easein assemblage, and the elimination of multiplicity of parts.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of theinvention, in fragment. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a detail view in longi tudinal section of a modified form ofthe invention. Fig. 4- is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa vertical longitudinal sectional view of one of the links in thepreferred form of the invention, and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6of Fig. 1.

The links are constructed to have sides 1 connected at one end by crossbars 2 and connected at their opposite ends by hollow posts 3 which arecarried by one side and which receive pins 4 carried by the oppositeside. The inner side faces of the sides 1 are provided with longitudinalribs 5 which latter are received in notches 6, the

notches being formed in the closed ends 7.

of the connecting links or -slidable coupling links 8. The sliding links8 movably en-. gage between the sides 1 1 and at their opposite or outerends are provided with hooks 9 which have their free ends pointed at 12to engage in notches or seats 11 provided therefor in the resilient or'depressible side 10 of the sliding or coupling links 8.

As depicted in Fig. l of the drawings the hooks 9 are easily and quicklyattachable to and detachable from the cross bars 2 of adjacent links,and when the bracelet links are in normal contracted position, thehollow posts 3 are disposed opposite to the depressible sides or catches10 of the coupling links whereby accidental movement of the sides 10,such as is necessary to enable disconnection ot' the hooks from thecross bars 2 is prevented.

The coupling links are spring tensioned by springs 13 which bear againstthe closed ends of the coupling links and the posts 3 of the outerlinks. l

For the purpose of shortening a bracelet constructed as hereinbeforedescribed, it is merely necessary to effect relative opposite slidingmovement of the outer links and the inner or coupling links, so as tomove the posts 3 away from the depressible sides or catches 10 of thecoupling links, whereupon the depressible sides may be moved away fromengagement with the ends 12 of the hooks, and the hooks 9 disengagedfrom the cross bars 2. It will furthermore be seen that the closed ends'7 of the coupling links 8 bear against the adjacent hooks 9 and forcesame against the cross bars 2, whereby it will be seen that the hook isheld against accidental disengagement from the adjacent cross bar 2which it engages.

In the preferred form of the invention, links having flat sides areemployed, while in Figs. 3 and L1, is illustrated a structure in whichthe outer links are trough-shaped and the coupling links are fiat faced.In this form of the invention a flat coil spring Li is employed whichholds the coupling link 15 against other than sliding movement withoutthe necessity of using the ribs and notches shown and described inconnection with the preferred form of the invention.

It will thus be apparent from the foregoing that accidentaldisengagement of the links is practicallyprevented, and still, thejeweler is enabled to easily and quickly remo/ve, or add, one or morelinks, from the bracelet, enabling bracelets or chains of varyinglengths to be formed as desired,'

without the use of any tools or the like.

The springs serve the double purpose of causing the depressible catchesto be alined with the posts 3 and alsoto cause the closed ends 7 to bepressed against the hooks 9,-. thus holding the parts in contractedposition Without undue movement.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent g- 1. Ina bracelet 0r the like, a series of outerlinks having sides and connecting end elements for the sides, couplinglinks for the outer links having sides, a closed end, and a hook,-one ofthe sides being depressible to form a catch for interengagement with thefree end of the hook, the closed end having notches at its sides and thesides of the outer link having longitudinal ribs which project into thenotches, and springs within the coupling links to hold the closed endsthereof against adjacent hooks, and to also normally cause the. adjacentconnecting elements of the outer links to lie opposite the catches so asto prevent opening movement of the latter.

2. In a bracelet, or the like, a series of outer links having sides andend connecting elements for the sides, coupling for the outer linkshaving closed ends and hooks at their opposite ends and also havingcatches Copies of this patent may be obtained for which coperate withthe hooks, and springs in the coupling links to cause thgclosed endsthereof to press against adjacent hooks, andto cause the adjacentconnecting elements to lie opposite the catches to prevent openingmovement of the latter.

3. In a bracelet or the like, outer links having end connecting elementsfor the sides thereof, coupling links having hooks and catches, andsprings in the coupling links to cause one of the connecting ele-v mentsto lie opposite the catches to prevent opening movement of the latter.

4. In a bracelet or the like, outer links, spring pressed inner linkswithin the outer links, and means on the inner links coperating with theadjacent outer links for removably connecting the outer links. 5. In abracelet or the like, outer links, inner sliding links therein, and ahook on each inner link engageable with the adja-L cent end of an outerlink.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses. 1

RUFUS KING.

Vitnesses: f

s, @ADA E. HAGERTY,

"J. A. MILLER.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o! Patents,

" Washington, D. C.

